Icom ID-50A Manual page 6

Figure 3 — Connecting to a nearby
D-STAR repeater and linking to a
­ r eflector.
D-STAR
Thanks to the well-written tutorial, operating D-STAR
with the ID-50A was a breeze. Within minutes I
accessed a repeater, used its gateway to reach a
D-STAR reflector (a kind of group chat room) in
Indi ana, and enjoyed a contact with a fellow near
Indianapolis (see Figure 3).
It is important to note that to operate D-STAR you
must first add your call sign to the ID-50A's memory.
Also, if you intend to access D-STAR gateways, you'll
need to register accordingly. The manual tells you
how to go about doing this.
Exploring the various D-STAR functions introduced
me to one of the most clever features of the ID-50A:
the searchable repeater list. When you are in D-STAR
mode, it takes just a couple of button clicks to reach
the repeater list menu. Thanks to the GPS module,
the ID-50A knows your location. So, you can choose
to list the nearest D-STAR repeaters. Select a re-
peater, and the radio automatically configures itself for
the proper frequency. It will work this magic for FM
repeaters, too.
Imagine taking the ID-50A on a trip. When you reach
your destination, you merely switch on the radio, wait
for the GPS receiver to achieve a position lock, and
then select the nearest repeaters. Operating on the
road doesn't get much easier than that.
I'm lucky to have several D-STAR repeaters close to
my location, but if you don't, the ID-50A can be used
in terminal mode to allow you to access the entire
D-STAR network via your computer and the internet. If
you and your friends have D-STAR-capable transceiv-
ers, the ID-50A can also be pressed into service as a
hotspot to allow everyone to connect to the network
Figure 4 — An image received from OE5STM.
wirelessly. Both of these functions require software
that is available for free from Icom.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the ID-50A's pic-
ture-sharing ability. Although it won't display colorful
images in the way they appear on an ID-52 screen,
you can still capture transmitted images from another
station, save them automatically to the microSD card,
and then view them on your computer with Icom's free
picture utility software, the ST-ID50W for Windows
PCs. (If you have an Android device, there is also an
Icom app, the ST-ID50A, that makes image swapping
much easier.)
Through a local repeater I accessed reflector
REF096D in Austria. Austrian amateurs often use this
reflector to exchange images. Sure enough, within
about 10 minutes the ID-50A suddenly began beep-
ing. I looked at the screen and saw the RX box that
informed me that I was receiving image data. When
the transmission finished, I rushed to my PC, grabbed
the file with ST-ID50A, and was treated to a photo
sent by Timm Schneider, OE5STM (see Figure 4).
Naturally, I loaded an image of my own to the memory
card and sent it to the reflector.
Conclusion
A few printed pages can't describe all the features of
the ID-50A, but part of the fun is exploring such a
versatile transceiver just to see what it can really do.
As D-STAR handhelds go, the ID-50A is considered
entry level, at a price of about $200 less than its up-
scale cousin.
Manufacturer: Icom America, 12421 Willows Rd. NE,
Kirkland, WA 98034, www.icomamerica.com. Price:
$399.95.
www.arrl.org QST June 2024 45